Welcome

On behalf of the whole EUSA community, I would like to express my gratitude for inviting European student-athletes here. It’s a wonderful occasion to be together and experience the beauty of sport. I am pleased to see so many sport lovers, who share values of fair play, equal opportunities and education, promoted by EUSA.

European Universities Championships 2017 organized in 19 sports make it possible for student-athletes to get to know each other and challenge their skills in a friendly atmosphere. During such events we do more than just sport – we broaden our horizons, get to know other cultures, we promote healthy mind in a healthy body.

Being an organizer of such an event is challenging but rewarding. I know it’s a hard task, and I want to express my appreciation to the Organizing Committee and its partners for the great job they have done. And, of course, my gratitude to the authorities for their auspices of this event.

I believe that this Championship will bring the participants positive experiences and good results. I am sure that the athletes will compete in a fair play manner, respecting the rules and their opponents and please the spectators with their performance.

I hope you will enjoy your stay, your achievements and your time spent in Olomouc!

Good luck!

Adam Roczek

EUSA President

Dear friends of sport,

let me welcome you to Olomouc, the hosting city of European Universities Table Tennis Championship

at the end of June. It is our pleasure and honor for Olomouc to be able to welcome the European renowned table tennis athletes. At the same time,

I believe it will be memorable experience and honor for them to play for the best score in Olomouc.

It may sound immodest to remark that the decision for Olomouc to be named as the host city was a good choice. Olomouc is rightfully a university town; our local University was founded many centuries

ago in 1573. The academic life is an inseparable part of our local lifestyle, which you will notice during your stay. Secondly, Olomouc is a sports-friendly city. Olomouc is proud to hold the title as the European city of Sports. The European academic championship in table tennis is among many other sporting events held in Olomouc this year. For these reasons, I believe you will really enjoy your stay in Olomouc.

I would like to thank the organizers of this tournament for their efforts in preparing this event. I wish all the participants the best of luck and to enjoy their stay. Let us not forget the table tennis fans to appreciate their sports view experience.

Antonín Staněk

Mayor of Olomouc

Dear sport friends,

Dear university athletes – students,

on behalf of Czech University Sports Association and the whole academic sport community I would like to welcome participants of the 8th European Universities Table Tennis Championship that will take place from 20th till 25th June 2017 in Olomouc.

Czech republic and its organisers have played an important role in the history of this sport. In 2007 the 1st European Universities Table Tennis Championship took place here (in Ostrava) and thus this sport event comes back to the place of its premiere.

Let me wish to all participants good sport results, positive experience and learning, new friendship and student atmosphere that is always at the university events!

I would like to thank in advance for the support and work in favour of the event success to the organising committee, the university management, the representatives of the city of Olomouc and to all partners of the university championship.

I believe that all participants will enjoy this sport opportunity and will take home only the best memories on beautiful city of Olomouc.

Ivana Ertlová

CUSA Chairman

Dear sports friends, table tennis fans,

The European University Sports Association (EUSA) has appointed the Czech Republic, in particular Palacký University in Olomouc, with organisation of this year´s 8th European Universities Table Tennis Championship. Therefore, I cannot but most cordially welcome you all to the Haná region.

It will be for the second time in history that this important student sport tournament will be held in the heart of Europe. The first championship took place in Ostrava in 2007.

Olomouc has always belonged to the most important cities of our country. Thanks to its favourable location, prestigious university and many traditions, Olomouc has always been regarded a centre of art, science, and sports. We believe that this tournament will contribute to this legacy.

European Universities Table Tennis Championship is always something more than a mere sports tournament. It is a competition with a special atmosphere; I would say a very friendly one. The participants debate a lot; they exchange experience, not only as regards sport, but also university life. Obviously, each one wants to win, the sporting aspect is always high, but certain ease can always be felt in the air.

Therefore I am very happy that most of the young and promising table tennis players are university students who enhance their education and can qualify for this event.

I wish to all participants to properly enjoy both the tournament and the city, and that they could come back home enriched by many unforgettable experiences from the couple of days spent in our city.

To the Czech Republic and namely to our academic sport I wish recognition and imaginary glory for the well organised championship of European importance.

Zbyněk Špaček

President of Czech Table Tennis Association

Dear Friends,

as one of the oldest and the most prestigious academies in Central Europe, Palacký University (established in 1573) actively supports an entire spectre of scientific, cultural and sport events of European and global importance. This is why our academy takes pride in hosting The European Universities Table Tennis Championship 2017. We very much hope that in Olomouc you will find a friendly environment.

prof. Mgr. Jaroslav Miller, M.A., Ph.D. Rector

Palacký University Olomouc

Dear Students, dear Friends,

Let me welcome and greet to the European Universities Championships in Olomouc. I would like to thank you the Palacky University Olomouc and the Czech Table Tennis Association for a great support.

On behalf of all table tennis staff, we will do everything in our power to make all participants on the competition feel content and well.

To all the players I wish a lot of sport successes, to all guests and visitors a lot of enjoyment in following the table tennis matches.

Matija Krnc, IR

EUSA TD – Table Tennis

There are cities you visit and the memories go away within a few weeks. There are several destinations where you’d like to go back to. And then there are places that you fall for immediately that will not let you go. Olomouc is one of these places, a city that captivates with its unique atmosphere. Olomouc is more than a thousand years old and currently the fifth largest city in the Czech Republic. It is situated in Central Moravia on the rivers Morava and Bystřice. It has been an important centre during different historical periods, was the capital of Moravia until The Thirty Years War and has been an archbishop‘s seat since 1777. Nowadays Olomouc is an important industrial town, transport crossroads and centre of education.

Thanks to its rich history, there is wonderfully complex display of historical memorials, ancient churches, fountains, and romantic streets accompanied by the gorgeous scenery of the city parks. There are simply a lot of beautiful places in Olomouc which you must see. The highlight is definitely the historical city centre, which has the status of an architecture conservation area and is the second most important one after Prague. The Holy Trinity Column on Horní náměstí (Upper Square) has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2000 and it is the highest column in the Czech Republic. You can admire a lot of churches and cathedrals throughout the entire downtown area, for example St Michael’s Church, St Wenceslas Cathedral or St Moritz Church with a nice view from its tower. A good idea is to make a trip to Svatý Kopeček (The Holy Hill) as well – there is a convenient bus connection. The place provides a charming view of the whole city and is home to the wonderful Basilica of Virgin Mary from the 17th century. Pope John Paul II gave a mass here during his visit to Olomouc in 1995. You can also visit the Svatý Kopeček zoo which is open daily.

Besides the food industry, engineering and pharmaceutical firms, there are important cultural institutions in Olomouc, such as the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Moravian Theatre, the State Deposit Library, the museum, the Archives, and last, but not least – Palacký University.

It is the university coupled with a great number of other educational institutions that makes Olomouc the top student city in the Czech Republic – simply because every fifth person in the city is a student! The conservation part of the city is home to over 23,000 students from all over the world, who prove every single day that there is a reason why Olomouc is referred to as the Czech Oxford. Students are literally all over the place, which only highlights the friendly or even family-like atmosphere of the city, which you will fall in love with at first sight.

The City of Olomouc has just gained the title Europen City of Sport 2017 and thus to organise the European Universities Table Tennis Championship in Olomouc was the right choice.